Andhra bifurcation: Seemandhra ministers, Congress MPs to meet today

Hyderabad: Union Ministers, ruling Congress MPs and other leaders from the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions are set to meet on to discuss the future course of action over the proposed division of Andhra Pradesh.

The meeting will be held at the Ministers' Quarters, the residential complex for state ministers, said Primary Education Minister S Sailajanath, a leader of the Seemandhra Congress MLAs and MLCs' Forum.

Union Home Ministry is said to be readying a note for the Union Cabinet over the proposed bifurcation. Congress legislators from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema have been at the receiving end of protests by united-Andhra supporters ever since the Congress Working Committee gave its nod on July 30 for the creation of a separate Telangana state.

Meanwhile, protests continued across the two regions on Friday against the move to divide the state. Pro-united Andhra employees held protests near Central government offices in the two regions.

In Srikakulam district, state Minister for Forests and Environment, Satrucharla Vijaya Rama Raju, was confronted by pro-united Andhra Pradesh protesters.

Raju had organised a motorbike rally in support of the united Andhra cause from Pathapatnam in the district but, at Sarubujjili, protesters shouted slogans demanding that he resign from the state Cabinet along with other ministers from Seemandhra. He also faced similar protests at Palakonda.